Pipeline event aims to increase social awareness

A Brazilian pipeline event will focus on increasing social awareness, exploring the theme ‘Safety and energy connected with you’.

Rio Pipeline 2019 will gather pipeline specialists from around the world when it takes place in Rio de Janeiro on 3–5 September.

During the event, the international pipeline community will provide a qualified debate on social awareness and many other topics related to improvement, quality and safety in pipeline transportation.

The conference will expand technical knowledge and social awareness for the development of the country.

The rise of fuel theft incidents in Brazil is a point of attention to oil and gas operators; not only for the financial loss but also for the risks it presents to communities located near the pipelines, including soil contamination and the potentional for explosions.

According to Petrobras, incidents of theft increased from 72 in 2016 to 261 in 2018, a growth of 250 per cent, with most incidents taking place in major Brazilian cities – São Paulo (151), followed by Rio de Janeiro (69).

Accidents resulting from clandestine drilling reinforce the need to develop intelligent safety measures to protect life, the environment, the country’s energy security and the integrity of facilities.

The deviation of pipeline products also represents a huge cost to government in different countries.

In Brazil, as reported by Petrobras, 42 million L of product was stolen between 2015 and 2018, provoking 8,600 hours of pipeline unavailability.

Through Transpetro, the state company operates more than 14,000 km of crude oil and by-product pipelines across the country; this month, the company announced the creation of a prevention program to try to reduce the number of thefts by 75 per cent by December 2021.

With the motto ‘Safety and energy connected with you’, Rio Pipeline will reinforce the need to intensify investments in safety and prevention that can detect clandestine drilling of oil pipelines.